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A definition: the comfort and convenience of modern life, regarded as available only in towns and cities:
My father, always a man of wisdom, observed after spending a few days with us in Ardnamurchan, "You aren't far from civilisation when you live here: this is civilisation"
What's civilised about having to protect your home from people who would steal from or destroy it? What's civilised about rampant crime? Gangs, knife crime, abuse, violence, hatred? We don't have the sort of levels of those that others, living in 'civilisation' have.
In fact quite a few 'stars' call Ardnamurchan 'home' . Hamza Yassin of Strictly Come Dancing fame, children's TV producer and wildlife photographer lives here. Mr Bean, Rowan Atkinson, has a home here too. And if you had watched Episode 23 of BBC Scotland's Landward you would have been introduced to these two, Calum and Roksana, vanlifers with an excellent Youtube channel "Ardview". www.youtube.com/@ardview-vanlife
I've met them several times on my travels around the peninsula and marvelled at their way of life. They are both photographers and live and travel in a converted ambulance. It's internally decorated in what you might call a 'rustic' style with in house cooker and logburner. I think they have a gas boiler for hot water. On the roof their solar panels provide electricity (although Just stop Oil activists note they struggle to get enough sunlight to live by). They collect and filter water from streams and waterfalls, and forage the local woodlands and occasionally catch fish off the coastal rocks. Many people envy their way of life, and they seem happy dealing with the daily challenges thrown their way, a great example shown in their latest vlog www.youtube.com/watch?v=-21qhtp_1_E
or www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ungo5Njpilo
I love following their channel which shows so many things familiar to and loved by me in Ardnamurchan. This is civilisation. Subscribe and follow them. They are off to warmer climes now, to bypass the winter months we get here.
I found them today by the Ardnamurchan distillery and popped in. I wanted to try and capture their 'home'. I decided to try a panoramic shot, with 10 frames swinging from the mirror opposite them round towards the hob, a total of about 120 degrees, so the picture is somewhat distorted, Tardis-like (and I even got both of them in it, twice)
A Mercedes 911 from 1966. It's our camper and we love to live in it. For 2 years this great oldtimer is traveling with us now and we hope lots of years more.
The 1966 Volkswagen Bus, also known as the Type 2 or VW Kombi, is one of the most iconic vehicles of the 20th century.
🚐 Model Year: 1966
Generation: First generation (T1), often called the “Split-Window” or “Splitty” due to its distinctive split front windshield
Body Styles:
Microbus (7–9 passengers)
Kombi (cargo/passenger combo)
Panel Van (no side windows)
Westfalia Camper (pop-top or tin-top camper conversion)
🔧 Engine & Performance
Engine: 1.5L air-cooled flat-four (1493 cc)
Horsepower: ~44 hp @ 4,000 RPM
Top Speed: ~65 mph (105 km/h)
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drive: Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
📏 Dimensions
Length: ~168 inches (4.27 m)
Width: ~65 inches (1.65 m)
Height: ~77 inches (1.96 m)
Wheelbase: 94.5 inches (2.4 m)
🎨 Design Features
Iconic V-shaped front with large VW emblem
Split front windshield (last year before the switch to bay window in 1968)
Safari windows (optional flip-out front glass)
Sliding or barn-style side doors
Two-tone paint schemes were popular
️ Westfalia Camper Variant
Pop-up roof for standing room
Fold-out bed, sink, and storage cabinets
Optional icebox and stove
A favorite among road trippers and vanlifers
Thank you for your visit and any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!
~Sonja
The 1966 Volkswagen Bus, also known as the Type 2 or VW Kombi, is one of the most iconic vehicles of the 20th century.
🚐 Model Year: 1966
Generation: First generation (T1), often called the “Split-Window” or “Splitty” due to its distinctive split front windshield
Body Styles:
Microbus (7–9 passengers)
Kombi (cargo/passenger combo)
Panel Van (no side windows)
Westfalia Camper (pop-top or tin-top camper conversion)
🔧 Engine & Performance
Engine: 1.5L air-cooled flat-four (1493 cc)
Horsepower: ~44 hp @ 4,000 RPM
Top Speed: ~65 mph (105 km/h)
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drive: Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
📏 Dimensions
Length: ~168 inches (4.27 m)
Width: ~65 inches (1.65 m)
Height: ~77 inches (1.96 m)
Wheelbase: 94.5 inches (2.4 m)
🎨 Design Features
Iconic V-shaped front with large VW emblem
Split front windshield (last year before the switch to bay window in 1968)
Safari windows (optional flip-out front glass)
Sliding or barn-style side doors
Two-tone paint schemes were popular
️ Westfalia Camper Variant
Pop-up roof for standing room
Fold-out bed, sink, and storage cabinets
Optional icebox and stove
A favorite among road trippers and vanlifers
Thank you for your visit and any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!
~Sonja